Ivy League Makes its Mark on College Table Tennis
An NCTTA Feature - October 2011

By Nancy Chen
NCTTA Media Relations Committee

Nowadays, the Ivy League is known as a block of academically competitive institutions, but many forget that it began as an athletic conference like the Big Ten. When it comes to table tennis, that athletic tradition is alive and well with several Ivy League schools figuring prominently atop the college table tennis rankings.

The Princeton name is about as well known in the collegiate table tennis world as it is in academic circles. In the last five years, Princeton has secured four top four finishes at the National Championships. Their streak of Mid-Atlantic division titles stands at six straight. Many Princeton players originate from top table tennis clubs in New Jersey and Maryland; some having competed against each other before joining the Princeton team. Notable alumni include World University Games players Adam Hugh and Pan Lin.

The University of Pennsylvania has been one of Princeton’s biggest division rivals, although this season’s division realignments means the teams may not meet until the Northeast Regional Championship. Penn prides itself on over a decade of consistently solid performance, having qualified at least one team member to nationals for the past four years. One of the highlights of the Penn club is raising $8,000 for non-profit organizations through coordinating a tournament across multiple student groups.

Slightly farther north, Columbia, sports a team that has been a fixture at the Collegiate Championships. Columbia’s women’s team captured third place in 2010, matching their co-ed team’s third place finish in 2009. Veteran team member Stephanie Shih also played in the World University Games and competed on the US cadet and junior teams prior to joining the collegiate ranks.

In upstate New York, Cornell has built their reputation largely through the strength of their women’s teams. The Cornell took 3rd place in 2008, but the co-ed team is not without mention—placing 5th in 2007. Cornell is anticipating several new members and changes in the team for this season, so they may be one to watch in the months ahead.

Out of Rhode Island, Brown has been dominating the New England division, taking the division title four of the last five years. The team rose from a 19th place finish at the 2010 Championships to 14th place in 2011. Largely self-trained, yet intensely competitive, the Brown team keeps a balance between attaining their goals and playing a sport they love. Brown hosts an annual school-wide open, in conjunction with the Rhode Island School of Design.

New England Division rival Harvard has had its eye on Brown’s title for the past two years, placing a close second in the division in 2011 and 2010. Good enough for a trip to Nationals out of what is traditionally one of the largest divisions in the country. The Harvard women’s team has been even better, winning the division the past two years.

Looking to break through in a tough New England division is Dartmouth. With a drilling coach, some new talent, and improved winter break scheduling, the up and coming team from New Hampshire expects to surprise a few people this season. The Dartmouth table tennis scene is unusual in that the school runs a physical education class in additional to the table tennis club and a fundraising intramural tournament. The class has been a great source of recruitment for their team.

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